Nexus Between Project Management Practices and the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria: A National Systems Analysis

The relationship between project management practices and the delivery of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across Nigeria has not been systematically analyzed, despite projects being the primary vehicle of SDG implementation. This study examines the nexus between project management practices and SDG delivery outcomes in Nigeria through a national systems analysis. A multi-phase design will analyse national SDG progress data against project management quality indicators across all 36 states and the FCT using secondary data from the National Bureau of Statistics, UNDP, and state government SDG reports. A structured survey of 320 SDG project managers from government, NGO, and private sector implementing organizations across six geopolitical zones will provide primary data. Structural equation modeling will test causal pathways between PM practice quality and SDG indicator advancement. This study constitutes an original national systems-level analysis linking PM practice to SDG outcomes in a developing country context, contributing to both the project management and global sustainability literatures. Findings will directly inform Nigeria's SDG implementation coordination office and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs. Keywords: project management, SDGs, Nigeria, sustainable development, national systems analysis